Ma's gene does different things to pa's copy

Function of mice gene may depend on which parent it comes from

source: New Scientist vol 209 no 2797, January 29 2011 p8

The function of imprinted genes in mice may differ according to which parent a gene comes from. The expression of most genes is in pairs, with both parents contributing a copy. Imprinted genes differ in that only a single copy is expressed, or turned on. Grb 10 is an imprinted gene, which is expressed in the brains of mice if a copy comes from the father, but elsewhere if it comes from the mother.

Maternal Grb 10 can curtail foetal growth. Mice which lacked the paternal gene were overzealous groomers, to the extent that they removed fur and whiskers from their mates. The paternal gene may thus moderate grooming behaviour, argue researchers Andrew Ward and team from Bath University, UK. RM,HD